Fun fire?

SO it's all over and done with again for another year, was Bonfire Night a big bang or a damp squib? Albert had mixed views: "Never been one to call for a ban on anything and I want children to enjoy garden fireworks, but the percussive blasts and booms from air bombs have no place in residential areas.

"By all means lets have public displays in parks and away from houses, but more importantly let children have a Bonfire Night without endangering their hearing."

despondent wondered: "I've never known it so quiet on the run up to Bonfire Night, we usually would have been bombarded for a month, what has caused this?" Otis reckoned: "Rain!" TommyDGNR8 offered a business slant: "I dare say the recession has something to do with it, but mainly restrictions on sale. Only specially licensed places can sell before October 15 or after November 10. There's also a short window at Diwali, New Year and Chinese New Year."

Unclegrumpy had felt the full force: "Apparently that American import Halloween is now more widely celebrated than our own Bonfire Night.

"Kind of a shame, don't you think? Having said that there were some mighty explosives rattling windows and shaking foundations last night.

"Me and the dog sought shelter under the dining room table. Girlfriend went to pub."

holly asked the question: "Why do we feel the need to copy everything from America - Halloween, Trick or Treat, etc.

"Supervised bonfires are fine, but look what happens when there is no supervision, at Salendine Nook High School gym for example."

StephB quipped: "When they used to knock on my door whining 'Trick or Treat!' I used to answer, 'I'll have treat please'. The puzzled faces as I shut the door were worth the inconvenience of answering it."

phil3 had a warning: "You need to be very selective who you apply that particular tactic, or you could end up with some sort of treat you were not expecting shoved through your letterbox."

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